Gate-latch.



c. R. BOND..l

GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED APII.20. 1915.

l 236,255 Patented Aug.- 7, 1917.

ooY R. BOND, or IDAHO, OHIO.

GATE-Laren.

VSpecification of Letters atent.

Patented A110'. *7, 1917.-

Appncatioii inea April zo, 1915. serial No. 22,683.

To allie/01net may concern.' j

Be it known that I', Cor It. BOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at ldaho, in the county of Pike and State of UhiO, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following isa specification. V

rlhis invention relates to improvements in latches and has relation more particularly to that class thereunder known as gate latches.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein means are employed for causing an automatic latching of the gate when the latter is swung to a closed position. j

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character including a pair vof spring pressed members, and means for holding the members in spaced relation, preventing the overlapping of the members and further permitting the latch of the gate to be received therebetween for retaining the gate in closed position.

The invention consists in the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts which will hereinafter be more fully set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan view showing the device attached to a gate post.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical detail section taken on line. 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section.

y Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of one of the jaws.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, 5 denotes the keeper which in this instance comprises a casing 6 made of metal and the like material and including a bottom wall 7, oppositely disposed upwardly and inwardly inclined walls 8 and 9 and oppositely disposed spaced side walls 10 and 11. The ends of the casing are detachably secured to the bottom wall 6 by means of fasteners 12 such as screws and the like, whereas the side walls of the casing are detachably secured to the opposite side edges of the end walls by means of screws 13. The opposite ends of the side walls are beveled as at 14, to conform with the inclination of the end walls 7 and 8. The bottom walls (i of the casing is of a length Greater than the length of the side walls of the casing, to

provide the said bottom wall with attaching extensions 15 formed with apertures 16 for y the reception of fasteners 17, whereby the keeper may be permanently secured to the fence post A, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The upper longitudinal side edges of the side walls 9 and 10 of the casing (i, are formed at their medial portion with horizontally alined V-shaped recesses 18, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth.

Disposed in the casing 6 is a pair of clamping jaws 19 and 20, pivotally connected therein adjacent their' lower ends as at 21, at a point to 'opposite sides of the V- shaped notches 18. The said jaws at a point adjacent their upper or active ends, have formed in their opposed .faces V-shaped gripping surfaces 22 and 23, each of such gripping surfaces constituting diverging walls 2st and 25, whereby forming between the jaws, when the jaws are in active position, a substantially dian'iond-shaped keeper space 2G, the said jaws `are terminally formed with upwardly and outwardly opposed inclined walls 27, forming the jaws with a flared latch entrance 28. The jaws are retained in closed position at all times through the medium of the flat springs 29 and 30.

Flach of said springs are looped at their terminal portionsto provide a lower eye 31 and an upper eye 32. A pin 33 passes through the side walls 9 and 10 of the casing and through the lower eye 81 of the flat springs, for connectingthe springs to and within the casing, at a point in longitudinal alinement with the aXis of the jaws, while the oppositeor upper ends ofthe springs have their eye portions 32 seated within a recess 34:, the latter being formed in the outer longitudinal edge of each of the jaws. The latter mentioned eye portions of the springs are permanently secured within the recess 34 by means of a pintle 35, said pintle passing through the apertures in the side walls of the recess 34 and thence through the eye 32 of the spring.

Formed integral with the inner face 6 of the bottom wall of the casing 5 is an inverted key-stone shaped spacing block 36, having its upper end formed with a V- shaped. notch 37, transversely alining with the notches 18 in the side walls of the casing and disposed flush with the lower eX- tremities of the diverging side walls of the gripping surfaces 22 of the jaws, for a purpose which will also he fully set forth..

Connected with the usual swinging gate B is the metallic latch har 88, which in this particular instance is formed with a hookshaped attaching end 89 formed with horizontally alined apertures 40, for the recep tion of a rivet eil, said rivet passing through the apertures 40 of the latch bar and through the frame of the gate for permanently connecting the latch har 38 thereto. The latch bar 88 for the greater portion of its length is formed with a squared portion 42, substantially diamond-shaped in cross section and adapted to engage at the points 43 with the fiared entrance opening 8, causing the jaws to open and allow the surfaces and 44k of the latch bar 38, to be seated within the dia1nondshaped keeper recess 22, snugly' engage with the diverging walls of the gripping surfaces 22 of the jaws and repose in the recesses 18 of the side walls of the casing 9 and l0, and thence engage with the notch 87 of the spacing block 3G and permanently retain the gate in a closed posi tion and prevent the same from being accii dentally opened.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection' with the accompanying draw- `ing, the advantages of construction and of the method of operation will be readily ap parent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Vhile I have described the principles of operation of the device together with the device which l now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such advantages inay be made when desired as are within the scope of the claim appended hereto. i

What is claimed as new is In a gate latch, the combination with a easingl including spaced side walls having notches formed in the edges thereof, a post extending transversely of the casing and formed in the free end thereof with a V- shaped notch alining transversely with the notches of the casing7 a pairV of spring pressed jaws pivotally mounted within the casing at points to opposite sides of said post and having their confronting faces terminally notched to form therebetween upon the jaws assuming a closed position, a substantially diamond-shaped keeper recess alining transversely with the former and lattermentioned recesses, and a gate latch having a squared portion for engagement with a flared entrance opening of the j aws and fitting within the diamondwshaped keeper recess, the notches of the casing and the notch of the block upon the closed position of said gate. v

In testimony whereof l aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

@OY R. BOND.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. HILL, GEO. W. HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

